Gun carriage for turret gun slot closures



July 8, 1947. BOYD 2,423,636

GUN CARRIAGE FOR TURRET GUN SLO'J. CLOSURES Filed May 4, 1944 tLQ awe/whom CHESTER M Boyd Patented July 8, 1947 UNi GUN CARRIAGE FOR TURRET GUN SLOT CLOSURES Chester M. Boyd, Silver Spring, Md., assignor to Engineering and Research Corporation, Riverdale, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,159

3 Claims.

This invention relates to closures for gun slots of turrets and the like and more particularly to a new and improved type of closure which is adapted to be moved with the gun as the latter is moved for aiming, and which closure is adapted to prevent the entrance into the turret, of wind, rain, snow, dirt, etc.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a gun slot in the wall of a turret structure, such as those utilized on aircraft, for'example, through which the gun is projected, the construction being such that the gun moves from one end of the slot to the other, as it swivels about a pivotal mounting within the turret. It is highly desirable in such types of installations to provide a slot closure carriage cooperating with the gun together with some arrangement for completely closing the slot during movement of the gun and carriage, in order to prevent the entrance into the turret of wind, snow, rain, dirt, etc. Devices for this purpose, heretofore utilized have not been entirely satisfactory since they have not allowed free and easy movement of the gun under all conditions, and especially where the friction, due to wind pressure and air load is high.

It is accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to provide a gun slot closure embodying a novel construction and arrangement of parts, so constituted as to enable free and easy movement of the gun at all times, notwithstanding the increased loads thereon due to high wind pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure for a gun slot which is so constituted as to accommodate a plurality of guns which may be projected through the slot and which are movable in unison about a pivotal mounting within the turret.

A further object is to provide a combined carriage and gun slot closure of the above type wherein freedom of movementof the guns is secured notwithstanding that the carriages may be moved relative to each other as the guns are swiveled.

A further object is to provide in a device of the foregoing character, a novel arrangement whereby the carriages for the guns are capable of relative movement, and the closure members are so guided that the gun slot remains closed at all times.

A still further object includes the provision of a novel arrangement whereby a metal band forms a part of the closure and is readily detachable from the gun carriage, whereby the slot may be quickly opened if desired.

Still another object is to provide a. novel gun barrel receiving device or carriage for a slot closure structure of the above type, which is readily demountable.

A further object resides in the provision of a novel construction whereby the carriages for the guns and the metal bands are guided throughout their movement in the slot, in an efficient and substantially frictionless manner, whereby the gun slot closure construction offers substantially no resistance to the swiveling of the guns, thereby greatly facilitating the efficient operation of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a device of the above character which will be extremely'emcient in its operation and which comprises relatively few parts, which may -be economically manufactured and assembled.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which is illustrative of one form of the invention. It is to be expressly understood,

however, that the drawing is for purposes of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a portion of an airplane turret, the upper part of the turret being broken away to more clearly illustrate the gun carriages and gun-slot closure of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the gun carriages, with a portion of the closure bands secured to opposite sides thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig, 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the quick-detachable connection between the closure band and the gun carriage.

Referring to the drawing, a un-slot closure I constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is illustrated therein as being associated with a turret l0 positioned on an aircraft l2 and projecting outwardly therefrom, the upper portion of the turret being broken away for purposes of clarification. The turret is provided with a gun slot H in the wall thereof having a top I6 and a bottom I8, and through which the barrels 20 of a pair of guns 22 are projected. The guns are adapted to be simultaneously moved by any suitable mechanism, not shown, about a common pivotal mounting a, and when so moved, the barrels may move in the slot. While two guns have been illustrated, it will be understood that the invention may be used with one or more guns, as will appear more fully hereinaiter.

In order to prevent the entrance of wind, snow, rain, dirt, etc. into the turret through the gun slot, means are provided by the present invention for effecting a closure of the slot, the construction being arranged in such a manner that the closure is operative at all times regardless of movement of the guns in the slot. As shown, such closure includes a carriage 24, through which the barrels 20 of each of the guns project, opposite sides of each carriage being connected with flexible or bendable, metallic ribbons or bands 26 and 28. Each of the latter has its opposite edges guided by upper and lower tracks 30 and 32 respectively, and the free ends of the bands are associated with spring roller drums 34, mounted within the turret and adjacent each end of the slot I4. The drums 34 may be of any suitable construction and serve to wind and unwind the bands as they move along the tracks during movement of the guns. As illustrated in Fi 1, the lower track 32 extends throughout the entire length of the slot I4, and the upper track 30 is similarly arranged, such construction ensuring a firm support for the bands.

In installations Where a pair of guns are employed, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be readily appreciated that as the guns swivel about the pivot 11, the carriages 24 will be nioved relatively to each other. In order therefore to effectively close that portion of the slot I4 between the carriages 24 under these conditions, each of the carriages has secured to its adjacent sides, a relatively short flexible metallic tape or band 36, the bands being guided in the tracks 30 and 32 and arranged in overlapping relation. It will be understood that each band 36 is of sufiicient length, that it will remain in overlapped relation with the other and close that portion of the slot between the carriages throughout the entire extent of travel of the carriages in the slot.

Each of the carriages 24 is similar in construction, and the arrangement is such that they will be guided along the tracks 30 and 32 as the guns swivel. One of the carriages 24 is illustrated in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and includes top and bottom plates 38 and 40 respectively, between which a cylindrical member 421s positioned, the said member being rotatably mounted, as by means of stub shafts 44 and 46 projecting through suitable openings in the plates. The top plate 38 is provided with laterally extending ears 45 and 41 while the bottom plate has corresponding ears 48 and 50. As shown, hollow connecting members 52 and 54 have their opposite ends respectively secured, as by welding for example, to the ears 45, 48 and 41, 50. Each of the members 52 and 54 is preferably split intermediate its ends, as at 55, in order that the parts of the carriage may be readily assembled and disassembled, although it will be understood that they ma be made in one piece if desired. The two parts of each respective member are secured together, as illustrated in Fig. 2 as by means of thin metal plates 56, the

latter being attached to the members as by means of screws 58, and being of suflicient width the members 52 and 54 and the cylindrical member 42. From this constructionyit will be readily perceived that when the plates 56 are secured to the two parts of each of the members 52 and 54, the carriage assembly will be rigidly held together.

The cylindrical member 42 is provided with a pair of aligned openings 60 and 62 through which the gun barrel 20 projects and the entire carriage assembly thus engages the barrel as by means of rollers 64 and 66, suitably rotatably mounted in the member 42 and having respective concave portions 68 and I0 engaging the barrel. Thus, the rollers 64 and 66 enable sub stantially frictionless relative movement bethe carriage 24 and the barrel 20 as the gun swivels about its mounting.

In order to guide the carriage 24 along the tracks 30 and 32, a plurality of pairs of cooperating rollers are provided and preferably, such rollers are mounted on the carriage 24 in such a manner as to be readily removable therefrom. As shown, shafts 12 and 14 extend between ears 45 and 48 on opposite sides of the band 26, Fig. 3, the opposite ends of the shafts being provided with upper and lower rollers 16, I8 and 80, 82, respectively. The ears 4'! and 50 likewise support a pair of shafts-B4, 86 which carry upper and lower rollers 85, 81 and 88, 90 respectively. Each of the foregoing rollers is removably mounted on the respective shafts in any suitable manner, as for example, by using the wellknown type of C-shaped washer adapted to engage a slot in the end of the shaft. Moreover, the rollers of each'upper and lower pair respectively engage opposite sides of the tracks 30 and 32, the latter bein constituted by angle strips or guides 92 and 94 between which the edges of the bands 26, 28 and 36 are received, see Fig. 3.

Means are provided for attaching the bands 26 and 28 to the carriages 24 and since such means is identical in each case, one only will be described. As shown, a shaft 96 is supported by the ears 45 and 48 and carries a clip 98, the end of the band 26 extending between walls I06 and I02 of the clip and being detachably secured thereto in a manner which will appear more fully hereinafter. The upper and lower portions of each of the walls I 00 and I02 are respectively extended upwardly and downwardly and bent outwardly in order to form pairs of ears I04, I66 and I08, III), which embrace and bear against the outer surfaces of the tracks 30 and 32.

In order to detachably connect the band 26 to the clip 98, the walls of the latter and the end of the band are provided with aligned openings through which a pin H2 is projected. The pin II2 iscarried by a spring strip II4, one end of which is secured to the band in any suitable manner, and the other end of which is bent outwardly, as shown at H6 in Fig. 4. An angle piece H8 is secured to the band 26 at a distance from strip II4 such that the thumb and forefinger may be engaged with the part H6 and piece 8 and the spring strip II4 flexed in order to withdraw the pin H2 and disconnect the band 26 from the clip I00. The band will then be rolled up by the spring roller 34 and thus opens the gun slot.

In the event that only one carriage is employed, the band 28 is connected to the opposite side of the carriage 24 in the same manner as that above described. In the construction illustrated, however, the ends of the tapes 36 are preferably connected to the adjacent sides of the carriages 24 as by being riveted or otherwise secured between the side walls of a clip I20 carried by shaft i22, although it will be understood that the detachable pin connection heretofore described with reference to clip I00 may be employed if desired.

In operation, the various parts are assembled as illustrated, the carriages 24 receiving the barrels 20 of the guns and the tracks 30 and 32 receiving the upper and lower edges of the bands 26, 28 and 36. With the rollers 16, 80, 85 and 88 contacting the outside surface of the tracks and rollers 18, 82, 81 and 90 engagin the inside surface of the tracks, it will be seen that a rigid structure is provided which may be readily moved along the gun slot with a minimum of friction. During such movement, the overlapping bands 36 shift with respect to each other in accordance with relative movement between the carriages 24. Both carriage structures are actuated by the gun barrels and it will be readily appreciated that since the cylindrical member 42 is rotatably mounted on the plates 38 and 40, and the rollers 64 and 66 are also rotatably supported on said plates, these parts of the carriage will have free and easy movement with respect to each other during movement along the slot. Hence, resistance to movement of the gun has been practically eliminated by the construction employed, so that more rapid and efficient aiming of the guns will result.

There has thus been provided by the present invention, a novel and improved gun slot closure which closes the gun slot throughout all movements of the guns and oflers substantially no resistance to such movements. The provision of the overlapping bands 36 secures closing of the slot between the spaced can'iages 24 notwithstanding the fact that relative movement between these carriages occurs by reason of the pivotal mounting for the guns and the shape of the turret. A further important feature resides in the demountable construction of the carriage and the use of the plates 58 secured to the members 52 and 54 for securing the assembly together and for closing any opening between the cylindrlcal member 42 and the members 52 and 54. The quick detachable connection afi'orded by the Number Name Date 5 2,331,048 Schaafl. Oct. 5, 1943 2,338,950 Linke et al. Jan. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 441,084 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1936 493,115 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1938 494,248 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1938 520,884 Great Britain May 7, 1940 pin I I2 is highly desirable in enabling the gunner to quickly open the gun slot, and it is to be understood that this connection may be utilized, if desired, between the ends of all of the bands and one or more carriages.

While one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily understood that various changes may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1, A gun carriage for a turret gun slot closure of the type in which the carriage is movable along the slot and bands are attached respectively to each side of the carriage and extend along the slot to close the same, comprising a pair of spaced connected plates, a substantially hollow cylinder rotatably mounted on said plates and disposed between them and having an opening therethrough through which the barrel of a gun is adapted to project, and a pair of rollers rotatably supported within the cylinder and adapted to engage opposite sides of the barrel.

2. A gun carriage according to claim 1 comprising, in addition, a plurality of pairs of rollers rotatably carried by said plates and adapted to engage parts of the turret toguide the movement of the carriage along the slot therein.

3. A gun carriage according to claim 1, comprising in addition ears extending from each plate laterally beyond the cylinder on each side thereof, and means connected between the ears on each side of the cylinder for attachment to one of the slot-closing bands.

CHES'IER- M. BOYD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

